This invention is in the field of turbine engines and in particular in the field of electrothermodynamically enhanced pressurized gas driven turbine engines.
Pressurized gas turbine engines utilizing peripheral nozzles are known in the art. Similarly, the pressurized gas turbine of the present inventor disclosed in the prior related application utilizes peripheral nozzles which discharge pressurized gas oblique to the direction of rotation of the turbine. Maximizing the efficiency of engines, including pressurized gas turbines is becoming increasingly important in these times of energy shortages and high energy prices. In particular, means are needed to provide for the use of electrothermodynamic technology with steam turbines including steam turbines having nozzles which provide for flashing of hot water in the nozzles. This capability can provide a benefit for conventional geothermal generator facilities which normally require the flashing of hot water extracted from the geothermal well to steam with the steam then being passed to the turbine. This results in a substantial loss of energy from the water in converting it to steam. The direct flashing of the hot water in the nozzles increases the efficiency substantially. The utilization of electrothermodynamic technology with such turbines offers the possibility of further efficiency enhancements.
An objective of the present invention is to provide for the electrothermodynamic enhancement of pressurized gas turbines.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide for the electrothermodynamic enhancement of pressurized gas turbines with peripheral nozzles.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide for the electrothermodynamic enhancement of pressurized gas turbines with direct flashing of heated water to steam in gas nozzles which power the turbine.
Preferred embodiments of the pressurized gas turbine engine of the present invention shown is comprised of a turbine, a turbine body and an electrothermodynamic power convertor, hereinafter also referred to as an ETD. The ETD is comprised of an electric charged screen, a collector plate, and collector plate insulation between the collector plate and the engine outer shell. For this embodiment the turbine has at least two gas nozzles which are hydraulically connected by nozzle gas ways to an internal shaft gas way in the turbine shaft. For this embodiment, the turbine body has a turbine chamber with an expansion chamber enclosing the turbine and the electric charged screen. The charged screen is positioned radially between the turbine and the collector plate. For some embodiments, the charged screen completely envelopes the turbine.
The charged screen is used to ionize the gas as it passes through the charged screen. The collector plate is used to collect the charge of the ionized gas. Collector plate insulation is used to prevent the charge collected by collector plate from discharging directly to ground. An electric charge source is connected to the charged screen and ground. The collector plate is connected to ground through a load. This completes the circuit to provide electrical energy from the ETD generator in addition to the rotational energy obtained through the turbine, which may be extracted by an electric generator or by other means well known in the industry.
A shaft gas way gas outer wall and a shaft gas way vacuum chamber inside the outer wall, may be used to provide insulation against energy loss in the shaft gas way. An electric generator may be connected with the output shaft by a shaft coupling, which connects the output shaft to the turbine shaft. A rotor nut secures the turbine shaft to the shaft coupling. A high pressure gas seal provides for a seal between the shaft gas way and the turbine. A main shaft bearing supports the turbine. Support braces stabilize the gas seal and the shaft bearing, thereby stabilizing the turbine. The support braces also stabilize the charged screen.
As the gas passes through the screen, the charge on the gas molecules is increased due to an induction process on the ions themselves. As the ions reach the collector plate the ions are absorbed. This collapses the magnetic field of each ion and the energy is converted to an electric current. This movement of charge to the collector plate where the charge is extracted is the electric current which adds to the total energy output of the turbine and provides an additional energy output that otherwise would be lost.